Introducing notable spots where you can ``see'', ``eat'', and ``experience'' in the good old Sekijuku Tokaido'!

"Sekijuku" is known as the 47th post town on the 53 stations Tokaido.
In Sekijuku, there are many spots where you can ``see'', ``eat'', and ``experience'' while enjoying the cityscape of that time.

First, we will introduce spots where you can have valuable "experiences".
Sekijuku is a short walk from Nakamachi called Jikon Jikonka.
This studio opened in October 2018 as a workshop where you can not only dye original cloth products, but also re-dye them.
This time, we tried indigo dyeing using the cloth products we brought!

There are two indigo vats Jikon the workshop, and indigo dyeing is carried out using natural lye fermentation using sukumo made in Tokushima Prefecture.
This time, we dyed an off-white face towel and a pale yellow-green lunch mat in indigo.

By the way, the things to bring on the day are vinyl gloves (if you need them), cloth and clothing to be dyed, a plastic bag to put the dyed cloth in, an apron, and a towel!

The process of slowly soaking the indigo liquid, pulling it up, squeezing it, and gently exposing it to the wind is repeated about three times.
In fact, the indigo liquid in the jar is slightly warm and very pleasant! This is because the temperature is maintained at around 26 degrees.

The jar is very deep, so if you let go of the cloth, it will sink to the bottom of the jar, and spiders will stick to the cloth.
The key is to gently soak the indigo liquid while changing the handle without letting go of the indigo liquid, so as not to introduce oxygen into the indigo liquid.

Finally, rinse thoroughly with well water, dehydrate, and dry in the sun.
This time, the work time so far was about 30 minutes. However, it seems to vary depending on the size of the cloth to be dyed and the depth of the color you want to dye.

Even the off-white towels were dyed in such a vibrant indigo color!

While the cloth was left to dry in the sun for a while, we took a tour of the workshop.
This is the tea room space. Since it is originally an old folk house, the garden is also a spectacular view!
It is a place where you can relax and relax, and it is said that it will be used for events.

The drying time is approximately 30 minutes, and the indigo color is fixed on the cloth by exposing it to ultraviolet light.
It won't dry completely during the experience, so once it's dry for a while, put it in a plastic bag and take it home.

Indigo dyeing has been applied to kimonos and noragi since ancient times, and has been an integral part of everyday life.
The photo shows tabi socks that were actually used during the Edo period. The tabi socks below are dyed with indigo, and I was surprised at how vivid the indigo still is.
You can also see various other indigo old cloths.

After the indigo dyeing experience, we received indigo leaf tea and dried fruit (jujube). The types of nuts and dried fruits that are served with tea change from time to time.

How about experiencing indigo dyeing and thinking about the ancient way of life?

[Jikon Jikonka basic information]
・Address: 250-1 Kizaki, Sekicho KameyamaCity sekicho
・Telephone number: 0595-96-3339
・Parking: Yes
・Business hours: 10:00-12:00 (prior confirmation required)
・Closed: Indigo dyeing experience requires reservations, so advance confirmation is required.
・Official URL: http://www.jikonka.com/
・Indigo dyeing experience fee: 40 yen/g
*250 grams per person is recommended.
*Up to 4 people per day

I found a pure white curtain in the streets of Sekijuku!
This is also a food workshop "Cercle" that opened in October 2018.
This restaurant is proud of its dishes made with American beef. I stopped by when lunchtime was calm.

When you take off your shoes and enter the store, there are table seats and counter seats on your left. It is a calm space with warm lighting and plenty of outside light.
The wood-grained interior of the store is pleasing to the eye and has an atmosphere that makes you want to stay for a long time.

I ordered "Roast Beef" (1,800 yen including tax) from the three special lunch sets.
The appetizer is seafood steamed in white wine, and the main dish is roast beef, which comes with soup, salad, rice, and pickles for a hearty meal!

In addition to this, there is a lineup of rice bowl dishes such as hamburger steak (1,500 yen including tax), fillet cutlet (2,200 yen including tax), and fillet steak bowl (1,800 yen including tax).

After the meal, we had a drink (coffee/tea) and a weekly dessert (500 yen including tax).
This time it's matcha chiffon cake. Surprisingly, the owner's daughter is in charge of the dessert!
The sweetness of the fresh cream and the sweetness and sourness of the strawberries matched perfectly, making it a very satisfying lunch until the end!

If you walk to the right across the checkout counter at the entrance, you will find a gallery space with sofas. There is a fishing pot between the large tatami mats, and an elegant courtyard in the back.
In fact, Cercle's building itself is an old folk house built in the same year as Perry's arrival (1853)!
A tea party was held here the other day, and it was crowded with many people.

The owner's wife will be selling remade clothes and miscellaneous goods, so this time we checked out the parasols!
The carp pattern on the center left is a remake of baby clothes.

All of them were unique, and the feeling of valuing and valuing old things resonated with me at Sekijuku.

[Basic information about “Food Workshop Cercle”]
・Address: 558 Kizaki, Sekicho KameyamaCity sekicho
・Telephone number: 0595-86-5127
・Parking: Available (12 spaces)
·business hours
Lunch time 11:30-14:30 (last order 14:00)
Tea time 14:00-17:00
・Closed: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
・Official URL: https://cercle.therestaurant.jp/

As I was walking through the streets of Sekijuku, I spotted some craftsmen.
This is "Okeju", which was founded in 1891. You can see the ``Seki no Oke'', which is designated as a traditional craft by Mie Prefecture, being made by hand using skilled techniques.
I went into the store and had a look at the work being done.

Ken Hattori is the fourth generation of Okeju.
Using a variety of tools, the craftsmen use their craftsmanship to check the bends and shape them with a plane.
The materials used for the buckets are wood such as sawara, cedar, and koyamaki from Shinshu, depending on the type of bucket.

At Okeju, we produce okes of all sizes, including hand okes and sushi okes.
Everything is made to order, and they are often asked to repair the buckets as well.
On the back of the bucket is a branding iron that says "Seki no Oke." If you see this mark, this is the ``Oke'' from ``Okeju'' in Sekijuku!

The photo above is of the second generation owner.
This is a scene of working on a large miso tub. Even a bucket this big can be made into a fine bucket that can be used for a long time if it is put in the hands of a craftsman.

The photo below is of the third generation owner.
Do you notice that this is the same place where the Yondaime was sitting earlier?

Okejuku stands in Sekijuku, unchanged since its founding. You can come into contact with traditional techniques that have been passed down from generation to generation, which you can't usually see.

Please watch the video of the people who have carried on the tradition at Sekijuku, which also features the owner of Okejyu.

[Oke weight basic information]
・Address: 474-1 Nakamachi, sekicho KameyamaCity
・Telephone number: 0595-96-2808
・Parking: None

If you get tired from walking around Sekijuku, why not take a break and take a break?
This is the footbath "Koman no Yu". Located to the east of Sekijuku tourist parking lot, you can enjoy the footbath for free.

It's spacious, so you can relax and relax.
The source is Sekijuku Onsen's artesian water, which is transported through pipes and used after dilution and circulation heating.
Warming your feet when you're tired will make you feel refreshed and comfortable, and we also recommend using them on the way home. It's right next to the parking lot, so you can easily enter.

If you come to Sekijuku, why not stop by?

[Basic information about KameyamaCity Sekijuku footbath exchange facility “Koman no Yu”]
・Address: 1974-1 Shinsho, sekicho KameyamaCity Mie Prefecture (next to the east of Sekijuku tourist parking lot)
・Telephone number: 0595-96-1215 (KameyamaCity Tourism Promotion Office)
・Parking: Yes
・Business hours: 10:00-17:00
・Closed days: Mondays (the next day if Monday is a public holiday or substitute holiday), New Year's holidays
・Official URL: https://www.city.kameyama.mie.jp/soshiki/seibun/chiikikanko/kankokoryu/docs/2014112312201/